October 7th

What to Do With Hamas? Question Snarls Peace Bid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Howard Schneider - October 7, 2009 - 12:00am

In the two years since it seized power here, the militant Hamas movement has undercut the influence of the Gaza Strip's major clans, brought competing paramilitary groups under its control, put down an uprising by a rival Islamist group, weathered a three-week war with Israel, worked around a strict economic embargo -- and through it all refused a set of international demands that could begin Gaza's rehabilitation.

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October 6th

Tensions continue to flare in occupied East Jerusalem, with some observers describing the situation as "explosive," and President Abbas accusing Israel of buying up billions of dollars worth of property in the city. Fallout from the deferral of the UN Human Rights Council's debate on the Goldstone report continues, with anger from the Palestinian public, a US denial that it pressured the Palestinian leadership, and a statement of support for the report by Prime Minister Fayyad's cabinet. Hamas arrests militants in Gaza money to fire rockets into Israel. The Arab News looks at Israel's "PA only" visas. Al-Ahram highlights a report on the suppression of nonviolent Palestinian protests against Israel's separation barrier in the occupied West Bank. Richard Falk makes the case for the historical importance of the Goldstone report.

Abbas blames aides for motion's removal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is considering firing a number of his top aides who advised him to withdraw a motion to the UN Human Rights Council regarding the findings of the commission of inquiry led by Justice Richard Goldstone into Operation Cast Lead. Abbas's decision to withdraw the motion has triggered a wave of unprecedented criticism and condemnations among Palestinians and throughout the Arab world.

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Abbas: Jews spending billions on Jerusalem lands
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

On the backdrop of recent riots in the Old City of Jerusalem, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned against a Jewish takeover of all parts of the capital. According to Abbas, the holy city requires much more effort, attention and dedication from the Arabs in order to deal with the Israeli attempt to change the reality in the city.

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Report: Hamas arrests militants planning to fire rockets at Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

The Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip have arrested over the last two days a number of Palestinian militants planning to fire rockets at western Israel, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Tuesday. The report quoted group sources as saying Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has organized a crackdown against Palestinian factions to curb the attacks against Israel. Hamas has warned the factions not to fire rockets under any circumstances, according to the report, even in response to Israeli measures at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

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Border Control / Obama is no sucker
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

One minute they were getting ready at the City of David complex and the next, the prime minister was not coming. Maybe the American rescue over the Goldstone report had a price Last Wednesday passersby noticed considerable bustle on the outskirts of Silwan at the foot of the Old City walls in Jerusalem. Security guards were prowling hither and yon and workers were there was lot of business with tables. A sign announced the City of David would be closing.

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Why Goldstone matters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ahram
by Richard Falk - (Opinion) October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

So why did the Israeli government boycott the commission? The real answer is quite simple: they knew full well that the commission, any commission, would have to reach the conclusions it did reach. -- Uri Avnery, Israeli peace activist and former Knesset member

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Fayyad cabinet says it still backs Goldstone report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

The caretaker government in Ramallah claimed during its weekly cabinet meeting on Monday that it still supports Judge Richard Goldstone’s report on alleged war crimes in Gaza. According to a government statement, the West Bank cabinet headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that the government reaffirmed its previous stance urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to take up the report at its next session next March. It was “unacceptable” to waste an opportunity to bring alleged Israeli war criminals to justice, the cabinet said.

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Resistance denied
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ahram
by Stephen Lendman - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

Established in 1992, the Addameer (Arabic for conscience) Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association helps Palestinian prisoners, and works to end torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions, other forms of abuse, and unjust, unequal treatment in Israel's criminal justice system, which handles Jews in one way and Palestinians in another.

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Ramallah PLC members side with Abbas over Gaza report fiasco
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 6, 2009 - 12:00am

Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) asked Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Maliki on Monday for an explanation as to why Palestinian diplomats dropped their endorsement of a key United Nations report on alleged war crimes in Gaza. A statement that emerged from the Ramallah meeting was much less critical of Abbas and his government than a parallel but separate meeting of Hamas-affiliated lawmakers in the Gaza Strip that denounced President Mahmoud Abbas as a traitor for moving to delay international action on the report by Judge Richard Goldstone.

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